US2041727A - Method of opening bivalves - Google Patents

Method of opening bivalves Download PDF

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Publication number
US2041727A
US2041727A US666553A US66655333A US2041727A US 2041727 A US2041727 A US 2041727A US 666553 A US666553 A US 666553A US 66655333 A US66655333 A US 66655333A US 2041727 A US2041727 A US 2041727A
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bivalves
treating
acid
opening
water
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US666553A
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Herbert F Prytherch
Kochring Vera
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
    • A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
    • A22C29/00—Processing shellfish or bivalves, e.g. oysters, lobsters; Devices therefor, e.g. claw locks, claw crushers, grading devices; Processing lines
    • A22C29/04—Processing bivalves, e.g. oysters
    • A22C29/046—Opening or shucking bivalves
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L17/00—Food-from-the-sea products; Fish products; Fish meal; Fish-egg substitutes; Preparation or treatment thereof
    • A23L17/50—Molluscs

Definitions

  • This invention relates to methods of opening the shell of oysters and'other bivalves for such purposes as removal or the meat, pearl culture, purification, and the'like. and has for its object to render such procedure less diflicult, less expensive and more expedient and efflcient.
  • Our invention consists in causing the muscle or muscles of bivalves to relax, by either physical or Ill chemical treatment or both, so as to produce opening of the shell.
  • Our investigations have es tablished thefact that stimulation of bivalves by physical and chemical agencies, acting together or independently, will produce muscular relaxation and cause the shell to open automatically.
  • a combination of physical and chemical agents has been found to be most emcient and practical.
  • the bivalves may be jarred or shocked by dropping them on a hard surface or by shaking them together or by any other suitable means, which action has been found to stupefy the bivalves and speeds the action of the chemical.
  • a shock by spraying with water has been found beneficial in the removal of sand, mud, and other debris from the shells.
  • the bivalves are placed in a solution of either sea water, artificial salt water or fresh water, to which a small amount of chemical, preferably an Such methods involve considerable labor,
  • acetic acid or hydrochloric acid is suitable and when added in suflicient amount to produce muscular relaxation will not injure the tissues nor impair their taste and food value.
  • This treatment will produce muscular relaxation and shell opening within a short period, approximately ten to thirty minutes, when used after the above physical stimulation and when acid is added in such amounts as to increase the hydrogen-ion concentration of the salt or fresh water to pH values varying from 2 to 5.
  • the bivalves will remain open for a sufilcient period of time to allow for such operations as removal of the meat, implantation oi pearl nuclei, washing the meat with antiseptic solutions, and the like. During this period the bivalves are in the state of narcosis from which they will recover if returned within a reasonable time to the medium in which they normally exist. Oysters and other marine bivalves that have been caused to relax and open by the above and similar treatments have been found to fully recover and resume growth and normal activity when replaced in sea water.
  • ful acid bath for opening bivalves 2 cubic centimeters of commercial hydrochloric acid (HCl) is added to each liter of water, or in other words, approximately 2 fluid ounces of acid to every 7 gallons of water.
  • Vthen commercial acetic acid (CHsCGOl-I) is used 4 ounces of acid are required for every 7 gallons of water.
  • the bivalves are allowed to remain in the acid solution until the shells are open and unable to close when exposed to air. In warm weather immersion for 10 minutes to 1 hour is suiiicient to produce this condition, while in very cold weather 2 to 3 hours may be required.
  • potassium chlorate K0103
  • K0103 Potassium chlorate
  • the sulphates, chlorides, chlorates of potassium, calcium, etc. are used in a concentration of 1 gram per liter in acid sea Water or fresh water having a pH of 3 to 5.
  • an acid bath is preferable, cheaper and will open in the shortest possible time bivalves that have previously received physical stimulation.
  • Any acid which is acceptable in connection 1 with a food stuff e. g., hydrochloric, carbonic, acetic, lactic, boric, formic, citric, tartaric may be beneficially .employed.
  • Other acids such as sulphuric, phosphoric, oxalic, tannic, salicylic, etc., will however produce muscular relaxation.
  • Alkalies such as ammonia and borax have been found suitable.
  • ethyl alcohol is one which could be used in producing the'relaxation and opening.
  • Salts which may be used either alone after physical treatment or in combination with acids are iron, manganese and magnesium salts, potassium chlorate, etc. Many other salts may not directly aid in the relaxation process but in no way retard or hinder it and so may be used in combination with the acid treatment for purposes of improving the condition of the meats.
  • Ethers and esters are effective and may be used whenever such ethers and esters will not impair the flavor of the meat.
  • Hexamethylenamine is a very efiective agent in this connection with possible therapeutic value.
  • Rotenone made soluble in acetic acid or in.
  • a process of treating bivalves for opening the same without injury thereto which comprises the steps of shockingv the bivalves and treating the same with a non-injurious muscular relaxation chemical agent.
  • a process or" opening bivalves which comprises the steps of shocking the same and thereafter administering to the bivalve a chemical having a muscular relaxation efiect.
  • a process of opening and treating bivalves comprising the steps of shocking and then bathing the same in a treating chemical having a muscular relaxation agent and at the same time a purification agent.
  • a process by which bivalvesare caused to open which is comprised of stimulating the same by physical and chemical agencies having narcotizing effects which cause the muscles to relax and the bivalve to open.
  • a process for causing muscular relaxation of bivalves which includes the step of bathing the same in an aqueous solution having a hydrogen-ion concentration of the range of pH 2 to pH 5.
  • a method of treating bivalves which comprises the step causing them to temporarily open by means of treating the same in an aqueous solution having a muscular relaxation efitect, treating the interior of said bivalves, and thence returning the bivalves to a medium in which they could normally exist for the restoration of the bivalve.
  • a process by which the muscles of bivalves are caused to relax which consists of bathing the bivalves in a solution of approximately 2 cubic centimeters of hydrochloric acid (HCl) to eachliter of water.
  • HCl hydrochloric acid
  • a process for treating bivalves which comprises treating them with a solution of acetic acid (CHz'COOH) in the ratio of approximately 4 ounces thereof to each 7 gallons of water.
  • CHz'COOH acetic acid
  • a process of treating bivalves comprising the treating thereof with a solution of water and potassium chlorate (K0103) approximately at a concentration of 1 gram of salt per liter of water.
  • a process for treating bivalves which comprises the treating thereof with a solution of water and an acid having a muscular relaxation efiect, said solution having a hydrogen-ion concentration of the range of pH-2 to pH 5.
  • a process for treating bivalves which comprises the treating thereof with an alkaline solution having a muscular relaxation effect, said solution having a hydrogen-ion concentration of the range of pH 9 to pH 10.
  • a process by. which bivalves are caused to open comprising the step of treating the same with an aqueous solution containing a salt, suflicient in concentration to produce a hydrogen ion concentration such as will produce muscular relaxation of the bivalves.
  • a process for treating bivalves comprising the step'of treating the same with an aqueous solution containing at least one of such salts as "M .4 s v 3 1 salts of boron, manganese andthose selected from wield hydrogen ions in such concentration as will -the alkaline earth group. cause muscular relaxation of bivalves.
  • a process for tresting bivalves comprising 16.
  • a process by which bivsives are caused to the step oi treating the some with an aqueous open comprisingsthestepl'ot placing the some in 5 solution contuining an acid 'sumcient to produce an aqueous solution "containing an acid sumcient 5 a solution having a hydro en ion concentration to produce a hydrogen ion concentration of the of the rangeoipH 1 to pH 6.5. rsnge'ot pH 1 to. pH 6.5 and in such a salt asset 15.
  • a process 101' treu'tinz bivalves comprising ⁇ 017th in claim 13. the step-of .bsthlngtiicssme ln'an aqueous HERBERT RPRYTBIRCH. 10 solution containing an acid onri a it which VERA KOMG.

Description

Patented May 26, 1936 PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF OPENING BIVALVES Herbert F. Prytherch and VeraKoehrinI, Beaufort, N. 0.
No Drawing. Application April 15, 1933,
, SerlalNo. 666,558
m (on. 11-45) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as
amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manulectured and used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes only, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.
This invention relates to methods of opening the shell of oysters and'other bivalves for such purposes as removal or the meat, pearl culture, purification, and the'like. and has for its object to render such procedure less diflicult, less expensive and more expedient and efflcient.
We are aware that access to the flesh of shellfish has been obtained heretofore by forcible means such as breaking or puncturing the shell or prying it open with hives and-similar instruments.
and skill and may result in injury to the tissues of the shellfish and contamination of the meat by inclusion of foreign substances such as sand, mud, particles of shell, and the like.
It is known that the dlmculties experienced in opening oysters and similar shellfish are -due to the close fitting of the valves and particularly to the contraction and holding power'of the strong muscle or muscles that hold the valves together.
It is a purpose of this invention to show how, by certain treatments, the muscle or muscles of shellfish may be caused to relax and thus allow the automatic opening of the shell. The shell of a bivalve opens when the muscle relaxes. It is held open by the hinge cushion which, like a spring wedge, exerts considerable pressure on the valves, forcing them apart.
Our invention consists in causing the muscle or muscles of bivalves to relax, by either physical or Ill chemical treatment or both, so as to produce opening of the shell. Our investigations have es tablished thefact that stimulation of bivalves by physical and chemical agencies, acting together or independently, will produce muscular relaxation and cause the shell to open automatically. For this purpose a combination of physical and chemical agents has been found to be most emcient and practical. A
The bivalves may be jarred or shocked by dropping them on a hard surface or by shaking them together or by any other suitable means, which action has been found to stupefy the bivalves and speeds the action of the chemical. A shock by spraying with water has been found beneficial in the removal of sand, mud, and other debris from the shells.
The bivalves are placed in a solution of either sea water, artificial salt water or fresh water, to which a small amount of chemical, preferably an Such methods involve considerable labor,
acid, has been added. This step may follow the shocking step or the shocking step may be omitted. For this purpose acetic acid or hydrochloric acid is suitable and when added in suflicient amount to produce muscular relaxation will not injure the tissues nor impair their taste and food value. This treatment will produce muscular relaxation and shell opening within a short period, approximately ten to thirty minutes, when used after the above physical stimulation and when acid is added in such amounts as to increase the hydrogen-ion concentration of the salt or fresh water to pH values varying from 2 to 5.
The bivalves will remain open for a sufilcient period of time to allow for such operations as removal of the meat, implantation oi pearl nuclei, washing the meat with antiseptic solutions, and the like. During this period the bivalves are in the state of narcosis from which they will recover if returned within a reasonable time to the medium in which they normally exist. Oysters and other marine bivalves that have been caused to relax and open by the above and similar treatments have been found to fully recover and resume growth and normal activity when replaced in sea water.
The use of an acid treatment is of value, not
ful acid bath for opening bivalves 2 cubic centimeters of commercial hydrochloric acid (HCl) is added to each liter of water, or in other words, approximately 2 fluid ounces of acid to every 7 gallons of water. Vthen commercial acetic acid (CHsCGOl-I) is used 4 ounces of acid are required for every 7 gallons of water. The bivalves are allowed to remain in the acid solution until the shells are open and unable to close when exposed to air. In warm weather immersion for 10 minutes to 1 hour is suiiicient to produce this condition, while in very cold weather 2 to 3 hours may be required.
In commercial operations, :{or example, it is desirable to employ a colorimetric hydregeudon testing set in preparing and checking the pH (acidity or alkalinity) of the narcotizing solution. Several inexpensive and simple devices for this purpose are now on the market. The acid is thoroughly mixed with sea water or fresh water pH the quicker the bivalves will become completely narcotized with opening of the shell, and the greater will be the action of the solution for destroying bacteria and spoilage organisms.
Though salts will likewise produce opening of bivalves they are much less suitable than acids as they cause dehydration and shrinkage of the tissues. Potassium chlorate (K0103) can be used at a concentration of 1 gram of salt per liter of water and will produce narcosis in 2 to 6 hours. Better results are obtained when the sulphates, chlorides, chlorates of potassium, calcium, etc. are used in a concentration of 1 gram per liter in acid sea Water or fresh water having a pH of 3 to 5. However, for all practical purposes the use of an acid bath is preferable, cheaper and will open in the shortest possible time bivalves that have previously received physical stimulation.
In outlining practical procedures for opening the shell of bivalves it is not the intention of the inventors to limit their claims to the previously specifically mentioned physical and chemical agents and the quantities thereof. The effective physical stimuli may be applied also by centrifugal force, electric currents non-lethal temperature extremes and high frequency vibrations; also pressures, created by vacuum or otherwise, influence the rapid relaxation of the muscle of the organisms placed subsequently in chemical' solutions herein described.
It is to be understood, however, that what is disclosed herein defines such terms as shock, "shocking and physical stimulation used in the appended claims.
Not only acids but alkalies and various other chemical substances may be successfully used to relax and suspend all activity of the bivalve muscles.
Any acid which is acceptable in connection 1 with a food stuff; e. g., hydrochloric, carbonic, acetic, lactic, boric, formic, citric, tartaric may be beneficially .employed. Other acids such as sulphuric, phosphoric, oxalic, tannic, salicylic, etc., will however produce muscular relaxation.
Alkalies such as ammonia and borax have been found suitable.
Of the alcohols, ethyl alcohol is one which could be used in producing the'relaxation and opening.
Salts which may be used either alone after physical treatment or in combination with acids are iron, manganese and magnesium salts, potassium chlorate, etc. Many other salts may not directly aid in the relaxation process but in no way retard or hinder it and so may be used in combination with the acid treatment for purposes of improving the condition of the meats.
Ethers and esters are effective and may be used whenever such ethers and esters will not impair the flavor of the meat.
Hexamethylenamine is a very efiective agent in this connection with possible therapeutic value.
Rotenone, made soluble in acetic acid or in.
$041,??? until a pH of 2 to 5 is obtained. The lower the open the shell, causing relaxation of the muscle with no injury to the animal so that recovery from the treatment is possible.
This application finds its basis in and is a continuation of Investigational Report No. 15 of the 5 U. S. Bureau of Fisheries on New methods of opening oysters and improving their condition for market, a work done by us.
Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:
1. A process of treating bivalves for opening the same without injury thereto which comprises the steps of shockingv the bivalves and treating the same with a non-injurious muscular relaxation chemical agent.
2. A process or" opening bivalves which comprises the steps of shocking the same and thereafter administering to the bivalve a chemical having a muscular relaxation efiect. I
3. A process of opening and treating bivalves comprising the steps of shocking and then bathing the same in a treating chemical having a muscular relaxation agent and at the same time a purification agent.
4. A process by which bivalvesare caused to open which is comprised of stimulating the same by physical and chemical agencies having narcotizing effects which cause the muscles to relax and the bivalve to open. 30
5. A process for causing muscular relaxation of bivalves which includes the step of bathing the same in an aqueous solution having a hydrogen-ion concentration of the range of pH 2 to pH 5. l
6. A method of treating bivalves which comprises the step causing them to temporarily open by means of treating the same in an aqueous solution having a muscular relaxation efitect, treating the interior of said bivalves, and thence returning the bivalves to a medium in which they could normally exist for the restoration of the bivalve.
7. A process by which the muscles of bivalves are caused to relax which consists of bathing the bivalves in a solution of approximately 2 cubic centimeters of hydrochloric acid (HCl) to eachliter of water.
8. A process for treating bivalves which comprises treating them with a solution of acetic acid (CHz'COOH) in the ratio of approximately 4 ounces thereof to each 7 gallons of water.
9. A process of treating bivalves comprising the treating thereof with a solution of water and potassium chlorate (K0103) approximately at a concentration of 1 gram of salt per liter of water.
10. A process for treating bivalves which comprises the treating thereof with a solution of water and an acid having a muscular relaxation efiect, said solution having a hydrogen-ion concentration of the range of pH-2 to pH 5.
11. A process for treating bivalves which comprises the treating thereof with an alkaline solution having a muscular relaxation effect, said solution having a hydrogen-ion concentration of the range of pH 9 to pH 10.
12. A process by. which bivalves are caused to open comprising the step of treating the same with an aqueous solution containing a salt, suflicient in concentration to produce a hydrogen ion concentration such as will produce muscular relaxation of the bivalves.
13. A process for treating bivalves comprising the step'of treating the same with an aqueous solution containing at least one of such salts as "M .4 s v 3 1 salts of boron, manganese andthose selected from wield hydrogen ions in such concentration as will -the alkaline earth group. cause muscular relaxation of bivalves.
14. A process for tresting bivalves comprising 16. A process by which bivsives are caused to the step oi treating the some with an aqueous open comprisingsthestepl'ot placing the some in 5 solution contuining an acid 'sumcient to produce an aqueous solution "containing an acid sumcient 5 a solution having a hydro en ion concentration to produce a hydrogen ion concentration of the of the rangeoipH 1 to pH 6.5. rsnge'ot pH 1 to. pH 6.5 and in such a salt asset 15. A process 101' treu'tinz bivalves comprising {017th in claim 13. the step-of .bsthlngtiicssme ln'an aqueous HERBERT RPRYTBIRCH. 10 solution containing an acid onri a it which VERA KOMG.
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Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2530783A (en) * 1948-11-16 1950-11-21 John W Pogany Method of opening oysters
US2534767A (en) * 1948-05-03 1950-12-19 Greiner Charles Allen Method for severing the heads from the bodies of shrimp
US2824005A (en) * 1956-06-19 1958-02-18 Blue Channel Corp Method of recovering the meats of bivalves
US3013883A (en) * 1960-10-17 1961-12-19 Clyde J Welcker Process for chemically opening bivalves
US3222186A (en) * 1962-10-08 1965-12-07 Aquin Esler L D Process for softening the shell portions of crustaceans for edible purposes
US3239877A (en) * 1965-02-16 1966-03-15 Laitram Corp Process and machine for opening bivalves
US3346395A (en) * 1965-10-07 1967-10-10 Aquin Esler L D Process for softening the shell portions of crustaceans for edible purposes
US8647180B1 (en) 2008-05-22 2014-02-11 Daniel P. LaVecchia Method and system for opening shellfish using infrared energy

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2534767A (en) * 1948-05-03 1950-12-19 Greiner Charles Allen Method for severing the heads from the bodies of shrimp
US2530783A (en) * 1948-11-16 1950-11-21 John W Pogany Method of opening oysters
US2824005A (en) * 1956-06-19 1958-02-18 Blue Channel Corp Method of recovering the meats of bivalves
US3013883A (en) * 1960-10-17 1961-12-19 Clyde J Welcker Process for chemically opening bivalves
US3222186A (en) * 1962-10-08 1965-12-07 Aquin Esler L D Process for softening the shell portions of crustaceans for edible purposes
US3239877A (en) * 1965-02-16 1966-03-15 Laitram Corp Process and machine for opening bivalves
US3346395A (en) * 1965-10-07 1967-10-10 Aquin Esler L D Process for softening the shell portions of crustaceans for edible purposes
US8647180B1 (en) 2008-05-22 2014-02-11 Daniel P. LaVecchia Method and system for opening shellfish using infrared energy

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